As far Islam is concerned, each and every manifestos and dogmas should be ensured by any one of the four basal evidences which are the holy Quran, Hadith, Consensus (Ijma’) and Analogy (Qiyas). Among the above mentioned doctrines, Hadith literature, basically standing for the words, deeds or affirmation by tranquillity of Prophet Muhammad (pbuh), desires an awful importance as it explains the literately affluent Quran. In this particular art, we can able to see numerous works.

Mainly there are six books, popularly known as Swihahussitha (Sahih Al Bukhari, Muslim, Ibnu Maja, Thurmudhi, Nasa’aiyy, Aboo Davood) which are unambiguously and unanimously authentic in Islamic creed. From these books, Sahih Al Bukhari bettered and possessed first grade, in regard with reporters and the stipulations followed by imam Bukhari (Abu Abdillah Muhammad bin Ismail bin Ibrahim bin al Mughira bin Bardizbeh al Bukhari (194-256 ah)) to add a hadith in his book. He, extremely, worked hard to collect Hadith and to verify its transparencies. Particularly, the veracity of the chain of reporters is painstakingly established.

There are several harsh conditions for being a hadith in swahih category. According to Abdul Haq bin Saifudheen bin Sahadulla Addahlavi (958-1052 ah), as defined in his Muqaddima, A hadith which is sahih, is the one which is reported by a finest just and he should have a very strong memory and needed to be fugitive from every defect and not be a strange one to all. `Just’ is a terminology which consists the utmost personality and piety, while the `strong memory’ means the strength of by hearing or by writings. All of the six books in Sihahussitha have accomplished these conditions.

Although, an axiom is there among the specialists in this art, Sahih Al Bukhari desires some more priority from others. They happened to say that the most authentic script after the holy Quran is Sahih Al Bukhari, then Sahih Al Muslim. Even though there are few arguments saying Sahih Al Muslim as the most genuine and thus there is no priority between them in general, an overwhelming majority guarantees the priority of Sahih Al Bukhari due to its spare conditions. Although, there are no doubts existed in the variation of rank of Sihah. Ibnu Salah has too mentioned the particular notion in his muqaddima.

In addition, Bukhari (r) created two more unique conditions rather than other sihah and has made an obstinate and stubborn attitude to other conditions which are followed by all others. The special conditions are:-

Chain of reporters should be with no mistakes.

Consecutive narrators should be met in their era.

Careful testing of genuineness of hadith and tracing genealogies of Sahih Al Bukhari is ensured by the whizzes in the art of Elm Al Rijal (study of men).I.e.; study of authorities on Hadith transmissions had ensured the authenticity of Sahih Al Bukhari. Approximately 7275 Hadith are in Sahih Al Bukhari, a record digit that none can claim apart from it, and 2600 non repeated ones are also consisted in the particular kithab. Every Hadith had arranged thematically which are related to different subjects like faith, belief, prayers, purification, alms, fasting, pilgrimage, monotheism, commerce, inheritance, crimes, judicial procedures, wills, vows, oaths, war, wine & hunting etc. and imam Bukhari outstandingly gave a definitive body for Hadith.

Even though, Sahih Al Bukhari has this much priority amid the Muslim community, some minorities still question the dependability of Sahih Al Bukhari. The radicals like Gamal al Banna, the youngest brother of Hassan al Banna, architect of Islamic brotherhood, hardly known about the Islamic texts and scripts are their constituents. He, in 2008, has completed a work titled `The cleansing of Bukhari and Muslim from useless hadiths’. When we take in consideration, he was mere a thinker and author and his radical arguments like the 635 ahadith of Bukhari are useless but not fabricated or incorrect. Thus, we can understand his illiteracy. Primarily, we can ask whether the prophet (pbuh) said any useless talks. And in second, can an axiom which is firmed by the frequent news be negated by a solo and outlandish argument?

Hence, the most trustworthy and apt hadith collection for hadith studies is Sahih Al Bukhari. We need to pursue its directions. And every strange argument against it should be daringly dumped in to dump.

Muhammed Shibli Abdul Salamis doing his graduation course in Islamic studies from Madeenathunnoor college of Islamic Science. His special areas of interest are Hadith Literature, Quran exegesis and Islamic Mysticism.

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